


the many times richard called robin "loxley"

by angramainyu



Category: Fate/Grand Order, Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms, Fate/strange fake
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M, i had to make a fucking tag for richard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-12
Updated: 2017-05-12
Packaged: 2018-10-30 21:13:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10885050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angramainyu/pseuds/angramainyu
Summary: and the one time he didn't.





	the many times richard called robin "loxley"

The first time Richard properly meets Robin Hood, he wonders if Loxley had simply forgotten to tell him all these years he had a son. They resemble each other a bit, less in appearance and more in the air around them that pushed most away but brought Richard closer.

Children of the fairies, residents of the forest, and Richard was a bit like that, too, the wandering king who walked through the border of myth and reality.

Sometimes when he blinks, Richard can see Loxley in him.

* * *

The first time Richard gets to join a mission with Robin, Lancer Karna accompanying them but rarely paying them any mind, he makes the Archer none too comfortable, comparing him often with Loxley, how agile they were and how Robin, unlike the other, didn't properly wield a bow.

Richard had found it interesting, but Robin couldn't hold himself back from bitterly apologizing for not being his dearest Loxley.

Yet now that he had been claimed the inferior Robin, maybe Richard would finally stop trying to find Loxley in him.

* * *

The first time Robin is heavily wounded in battle, Richard - now much stronger than him, quickly becoming one of their Master's favorite - ends the battle soon after and calls out to him, to someone he doesn't really know, but knows it's _him_ \- calls out to Loxley and all Robin can do is sigh, yes, that's him, why was Richard so worried? Such was the life of Servants, after all - meant to be wounded in battle if not killed, and Robin thinks those words were almost magical, drawing from Richard possibly the most serious look Robin had yet seen.

At the same time, however, he wished he had eaten those words. Such serious and ever so upsetting look didn't fit in the face of a man who ever only shot the brightest smiles at him.

* * *

The first time Robin feels in debt with Richard is just a couple of days after that incident, when he had been given mana enough to heal his wounds but also time enough to let childish guilt eat at him. Richard hadn't visited Robin at all, he assumes because he had been foolish (yet true) enough to run his mouth, but when they meet at the hallway, Richard's face lights up - calls out to Loxley again, rambles about how worried he had been, uneasy days that even came to affect his performance.

He apologizes, too, for not visiting, and it tastes much too sour in his mouth. Explains that he wouldn't want to expose Robin to troublesome emotions, convinced he would have been unable to keep a positive facade in light of how worried he had been.

Robin's guilt grew only bigger, and he couldn't help but wonder how badly the situation had affected Richard for him to ever think he should be the one to apologize.

Kings had far too much pride to know what an apology was, after all.

* * *

The first time Robin sees Richard with other people is weird, but welcoming all the same. It meant he wouldn't have to worry about overly excited kings, with names that weren't his nor suited him, with the fatigue that came after spending too much time near someone too exhausting. Yet Robin watches him, stops on his way to wherever and kills his curiosity. Richard was acting just the same, all smiles and laughter and as easy going as they came, yet something about such scene stung and burned within Robin's chest in a way that was far too uncomfortable.

When Richard notices him at the corner of his eye, flashes such bright smile and waves at him, calling out not his name but Loxley's - always Loxley's -, Robin should have nodded, perhaps waved back the slightest bit, yet he only pulls his hood over his head and walks away.

He doesn't look back, nor wants to, because he feels like that pain in his chest would only grow worse.

* * *

The first time Robin finds himself willingly seeking Richard is a mistake. He told himself he was only worried for Master's behalf, what with Richard being nowhere to be seen for longer than usual. The king was often everywhere, either in a corner or another and many times accompanied by others. It was like he attracted people, a magnet that automatically made people like him, and Robin could only wonder if he was the same too, looking corner after corner for golden hair and silver armor.

He finds, instead, golden hair and black undershirt towering over what he was looking for; finds Richard but also finds him with closed eyes and shallow breath, far too lost in his own little world and Gawain's touch to notice he had been caught. It shouldn't come as a surprise, not when he had fallen victim to Richard's much enthusiastic tales of Arthurian Legends, of how much he admired the King of Knights and his Knights of the Round.

That same burning sensation of days past returns, snaps Robin out of it because nothing would he gain from watching a king drown himself in a charming knight's touches. It's ironic, and he thinks it's only to be expected from greedy kings who were always looking for anything that could possibly please them and knights that had nothing but the selfish interest of becoming their liege's little secret.

It's also the first time Richard sees Robin's back, blurry and foggy from all the other sensations he was going through, and he could only wonder what Loxley could be doing around those parts.

* * *

The first time Richard sees Robin after weeks has him believe he was being avoided (which only made sense because it was hard not to see someone for so long in Chaldea), evident from the way Robin so quickly turned away whenever Richard was only midway through calling out to him (not _him_ , no, he calls out to Loxley and it's not him, so it's fine). But after weeks without hearing from him, Richard made sure to reach out, grab the Archer's wrist and prevent him from leaving, from giving him the cold shoulder and silent treatment that Richard didn't know where it came from.

They talk - there is an attempt -, with Robin asking where Gawain was, a name Richard didn't think would ever be brought up, but he quickly understands Robin's disappearance and casual passive aggressiveness.

He doesn't understand why he cares, why he should, doesn't understand what about him involving himself with the Knight of the Sun in a more personal way angered Robin so much, and the very fact Richard couldn't comprehend it only infuriated Robin more.

He manages to storm out, to walk away in quick steps trying to block out Loxley's name coming from far behind.

* * *

The first time Richard and Robin share a room is a week after their last incident; Richard had come out of a fight heavily injured and Robin was sent to treat him instead of Doctor Roman, an order from their Master who had clearly noticed the tension between the two. They don't exchange neither words nor glances at first, Robin putting all his attention on Richard's wounds but getting so easily distracted with the way blood streamed down his arm, his face, the sweat in his neck and the way his chest heaved up and down.

Robin is the first one to break their silence, to apologize, to say he shouldn't have acted like he did about something that concerned him little. Richard apologizes afterwards, even though he shouldn't, says he should have tried to understand Robin's feelings, given him more space, waited for him to come seek Richard instead of him forcing Robin to face him.

They talk, apologize over and over, Richard smiles weakly both due to his wounds and the awkwardness of the situation. He had never been quite used to talking out feelings like that, as much as he had wished many times in the past, but he is happy to be able to do such thing with Robin.

When all is good and done, Robin thinks it's silly, stupid even, how Richard had managed to fall asleep on him, seemingly exhausted from wounds and talking things out. Yet he doesn't move, not an inch, makes sure even his breathing is stable to not disrupt such a spoiled king.

Richard thanks Robin for forgiving him with a sleepy voice Robin almost didn't catch, all the while never referring to Robin by his name, but instead as Loxley.

* * *

The first time Richard properly feels Robin's skin is when they hang out together in Richard's room, Robin reluctantly agreeing to sitting on Richard's lap after much pleading. Richard holds his hand carefully, the gloved one except now gloveless, skin that was not often revealed and skin that was even less often touched. He plays with his fingers, rubs against his thumb with his own, entwined fingers as he carefully pulls them closer to his lips and gently kisses every one of them.

Robin wished he could hide his face under his hood, look away and prevent Richard from ever staring at him, at the redness of his cheeks because that was far more attention than he was worth. Richard thinks it's cute and it shows, not with words but with a smile that said more than enough. They had grown close after their talk, and closer the following days, Robin taking liberty to become more genuine with feelings he was still a bit ashamed of. Richard had found joy in teasing him for them, yet never to the point of being disrespectful to his feelings.

In fact, Richard had grown to look at Robin in a new light, smiling much more often around him than ever around others. He finds joy in being in his presence, warmth in seeing the way Robin would blush around him, comfort in noticing the little things Robin did that showed how much he had become possessive of Richard.

Robin refuses to look at him finally, embarrassment taking over and there was many a thing to pay attention more than a beautiful king so lovingly kissing his skin. Yet Richard cups his cheek, of course - gently, _carefully_ , as though Robin was made of porcelain, but he doesn't force him to look at Richard. He stands there, caresses his cheek with his thumb and smiles softly at how shy Robin could be.

"Robin," Richard calls him, and there's far more affection put in his name than there was ever in Loxley's. It's the first time Richard has called Robin by his name, the first time his eyes widen and he promptly looks at Richard in disbelief. His smile doesn't falter, if anything it grows warmer, and there's something in his eyes that makes Robin's heart skip more beats than he was ever able to withstand.

"I love you." Richard says, before he brings Robin's face closer and kisses him ever so passionately.

It's the last time Richard ever called him Loxley.

**Author's Note:**

> please read fate/strange fake. also richard in fgo when.


End file.
